Wireless communication devices have recently evolved from a technology used by an elite segment of the population to a technology that is used by the masses. Worldwide, the number of wireless communication device users has reached a staggering number and is growing all of the time. In the near future, it is envisioned that almost everyone will own or use some sort of wireless communication device that is capable of performing a variety of functions. One service that has grown to become an immensely popular, convenient form of communication between mobile telephone devices is the Short Message Service (SMS), which was first introduced by European wireless network operators in 1991. SMS allows subscribers to easily send and receive text messages via wireless handsets. Although specifications and industry standards related to SMS are constantly evolving and being modified, SMS messages have traditionally been used to convey readable text information, where the text can include any combination of characters that can be entered via a keypad or keyboard. The popularity of the SMS service stems in part from its ease of use. Specifically, short messages typed through a cellular keypad are delivered instantly to a recipient, who retains a record of the message on their portable device and can respond in kind at their leisure. Such messages serve not only to distribute important information (e.g., Where are you?, What time are we meeting?), but also less consequential “small talk” that does not warrant a phone call.
SMS delivery service provides a mechanism for transmitting messages to and from SMS capable terminals (e.g., wireless handsets, personal computers, etc.) via the signaling component of the wireless communication network. With particular regard to the sending and receiving of SMS messages by a wireless handset, a signaling network provides the transport facilities necessary to communicate short messages between a store-and-forward network element, known as a short message service center (SMSC), and a wireless handset. In contrast to earlier text message transmission services, such as alphanumeric paging, SMS technology is designed to provide guaranteed delivery of an SMS message to a destination. That is, if a temporary network failure, or the unavailability of a message recipient prohibits the immediate delivery of an SMS message, then the SMS message is stored in the network (i.e., at an SMSC) until the destination/intended message recipient becomes available. Another of the key and distinguishing characteristics of SMS service, with respect to previously available message communication services, is that an active mobile handset is able to send or receive a short message at any time, regardless of whether or not a voice or data call is in progress.
Despite its myriad advantages over previously available message communication services and undeniable convenience, one drawback of conventional SMS messaging is when a message is delivered as a reminder (e.g., “pick up milk”, “prepare dinner”) the instantaneous nature of the text message might not be ideal. That is, in certain instances, it may be inappropriate, inconvenient and/or undesirable to instantaneously transmit such messages. Instead, it may be more convenient to enter a text message and delay delivery until a later point. Further, it might under some circumstances be more convenient, or indeed novel and fun, to assign geographic parameters to the delivery of a text message. Thus, a message would only be delivered to its intended recipients at the point that they enter within a certain geographic area.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,793 discloses a method of accessing and leaving messages at coordinate way points. In accordance with the described method, when a specific location is reached where a person desires to leave a personal message, they push a button on their communication device to record the physical location at that instant in time. Alternatively, this can be affected by a voice command to “record location” or other syntax affecting the same result. By performing this command, the location is then sent to the network or the network is requested to record the location depending upon whether the positioning is performed by the device or by the network. In either case, it is appreciated that the user must be physically present at the specific location to leave a message.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved messaging system that overcomes the afore-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.